Combines Row Crop head Question

Have run beanheads since 1977, but I have never run in last year's standing stalks. Always disk stalks once in fall just deep enuf to throw some dirt. Can still see rows afterward. At harvest can see no difference in harvestability of beans over reg-till beans. There may be stalks standing but they are deteriorated enuf so dividers push them down. I also run 'ROTO SHOES' in place of JD skid shoes. Have no trouble with trash piling up underneath. My main concern with running in standing stalks is that the old stalks will get pushed down by dividers, and will entangle the standing beans and drag them to the ground also. A slower harvest speed could alleviate some of this. The bottleneck will be between the area where the belts grab the beans and the knife cuts them. Sharp tight knives will be important. What about using heavy duty harrow on stalks this spring before plantingIJ Do you have a platform as a back-up if beanhead don't workIJ

Thanks! Actually don't have a row crop head yet but was considering purchase if we go back to 30". Currently have a platform so no great risk.

I too had run a row head exclusively since 1977, until two seasons ago when I got fed up with baby sitting the row crop head and constantly repairing it. This thing is absolutley the most mind numbing thing I have ever run. In the old four row days, it drove pretty well. Pushing a six row in soft ground was a nightmare, since it wants to be anywhere but on the row. I finally figured out you had to have spring tighteners on every chain on the thing and I had fabricated a couple that no one built for the outside n60 drive chains. This and constant lubrication helped immensely, but would not keep the rotary knive bearings from falling apart (usually about ten PM)not to mention the bevel gears which last a very short time till they get sharp. The vertical knife and the vertical upper drive shafts will all get worn where they run in their double bearings and get good and loose. These shafts are really high. Someone could give you a 653A and not do you any favour. Keep you table. GS

It will work fine. You may take a little extra trash in, but it should be okay. As with any head in no till conditions, trash may collect under the skid plates on the row head or a platform. You just raise up a little and let it come loose and then drop the head a little lower. We cut beans for several years with a 653A on a 7700 in old milo and corn stalks and it worked fine. THor